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Role of aromatic amino acids in protein-nucleic acid recognition

  • University of Cambridge
    ,
  • University of Oxford
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

Statistical analysis of structures from the PBD has been used to examine the role that the aromatic amino acids play in protein-nucleic acid recognition. In protein-DNA complexes, the residues Phe and His are found to bind selectively to the DNA chain--Phe to A and T, and His to T and G. The preferred binding modes are identified, and the interactions involving Phe are shown to be important in the transcription process. In protein-RNA complexes, Phe is found to occur far less often and is instead replaced by Trp, which binds selectively to C and G, offering a possible mechanism for differentiation between the two nucleic acids. SASA analysis of the two sets of complexes suggests that all of the aromatic amino acids are more heavily involved in binding than would be expected on the balance of probability. Phe and Tyr occur approximately equal in both sets of data, whereas the proportions of His and Trp vary considerably, supporting the idea that these residues may be involved in differentiating between the two nucleic acids.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 456-470

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Biopolymers (Volume 85, Issue 5-6)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/01/2007

Publication status

Published - 01/01/2007

ISSN

0006-3525

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/294682
  • Scopus: 34247491471

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